Many times, when we read the Bible, we approach it in much the same way that a biology student approaches a frog on the dissecting table. While we gather much information about the various pieces, we’ve failed to get a thorough understanding of what is really in front of us in the end.

While critical study of the Bible – with all of the best tools at hand – is important, such study too often ends with a pile of information in our brains. More than mere information from the Bible, what we want to gain in the midst of our reading of the Bible is transformation. Transformational reading of the Scripture is different than the critical cutting apart of the Bible into so many small pieces while standing above it with goggles on.

Transformational reading of Scripture brings us into a living exchange with God through the Scripture where our lives are opened up to His loving Word. We slow ourselves down, stand in God’s presence, and let Him read His Word into our lives. Sometimes we are comforted. Sometimes we are unsettled. Yet, in it all, we encounter God and are transformed bit by bit into the likeness of Jesus.

Over the next few posts, I want to provide some further thoughts on how we can read Scripture for transformation.